Speech-Language Pathologist and Audiologist Licensing
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Speech-Language Pathologist and Audiologist Supervision Information
This page excerpts supervision requirement from the Speech- Language Pathology and Audiology licensing statute related to supervising temporarily licensed practitioners and speech-language pathologist assistants.
Supervisee. "Supervisee" means a person who, under the direction or evaluation of a supervisor, is:
(1) engaging in the supervised practice of speech-language pathology or audiology;
(2) performing a function of supervised clinical training as a student of speech-language pathology or audiology; or
(3) performing a function of supervised postgraduate or doctoral clinical experience in speech-language pathology or audiology.
Supervision. "Supervision" means the direct or indirect evaluation or direction of: (1) a practitioner of speech-language pathology or audiology; (2) a person performing a function of supervised clinical training as a student of speech-language pathology or audiology; (3) a person performing a function of supervised postgraduate clinical experience in speech-language pathology or audiology; or (4) a speech-language pathology assistant in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 148.5192.
Supervisor. "Supervisor" means a person who has the authority to direct or evaluate a supervisee and who: (1) is a licensed speech-language pathologist or audiologist; or (2) when the commissioner determines that supervision by a licensed speech-language pathologist or audiologist as required in clause (1) is unobtainable, and in other situations considered appropriate by the commissioner, is a person practicing speech-language pathology or audiology who holds a current certificate of clinical competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association or board certification in audiology by the American Board of Audiology.
Supervision required for clinical fellowship licensee or doctoral externship licensee
(a) A clinical fellowship licensee or doctoral externship licensee must practice under the supervision of an individual who meets the requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 148.512, subdivision 20. Supervision must conform to the requirements in paragraphs (b) to (e).
(b) Supervision must include both on-site observation and other monitoring activities. On-site observation must involve the supervisor, the clinical fellowship licensee or doctoral externship licensee, and the client receiving speech-language pathology or audiology services and must include direct observation by the supervisor of treatment given by the clinical fellowship licensee or doctoral externship licensee. Other monitoring activities must involve direct or indirect evaluative contact by the supervisor of the clinical fellowship licensee or doctoral externship licensee, may be executed by correspondence, and may include, but are not limited to, conferences with the clinical fellowship licensee or doctoral externship licensee, evaluation of written reports, and evaluations by professional colleagues. Other monitoring activities do not include the client receiving speech-language pathology or audiology services.
(c) The clinical fellowship licensee or doctoral externship licensee must be supervised by an individual who meets the definition of Minnesota Statutes, section 148.512, subdivision 20, and: (1) when the clinical fellowship licensee or doctoral externship licensee is a speech-language pathologist, is a licensed speech-language pathologist, or holds a current certificate of clinical competence in speech-language pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association; or (2) when the clinical fellowship licensee or doctoral externship licensee is an audiologist, is a licensed audiologist, or holds a current certificate of clinical competence in audiology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association or board certification in audiology by the American Board of Audiology.
(d) Clinical fellowship licensure or doctoral externship licensure shall not be granted until the applicant has completed the academic coursework and clinical training in Minnesota Statutes, section 148.515, subdivision 2 or 2a. In addition to the transcript, the commissioner may require a letter from the academic department chair or program director documenting that the applicant has completed coursework equivalent to or exceeding a master's degree or that the applicant is eligible for enrollment in current doctoral externship credit.
(e) The clinical fellowship licensee or doctoral externship licensee must provide verification of supervision on the application form provided by the commissioner.
Supervision required for speech-language pathology assistants
Minnesota Session Laws 2025, 1st Special Session, chapter 3, article 3, section 18
Minnesota Statutes, section 148.5192, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Supervision requirements.
(a) A supervising speech-language pathologist shall authorize and accept full responsibility for the performance, practice, and activity of a speech-language pathology assistant. The amount and type of supervision required must be based on the skills and experience of the speech-language pathology assistant. A minimum of one hour every 30 days of consultative supervision time must be documented for each speech-language pathology assistant.
(b) A supervising speech-language pathologist must:
(1) be licensed under Minnesota Statutes, sections 122A.183, 122A.184, or 148.511 to 148.5198;
(2) hold a certificate of clinical competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association or its equivalent as approved by the commissioner; and
(3) have completed at least ten hours of continuing education in supervision.
(c) Once every 60 days, the supervising speech-language pathologist must treat or cotreat with the speech-language pathology assistant each client on the speech-language pathology assistant's caseload.
(d) For purposes of this section, "direct supervision" means observation and guidance by the supervising speech-language pathologist during the performance of a delegated duty that occurs either on-site and in-view or through the use of real-time, two-way interactive audio and visual communication. The supervision requirements described in this section are minimum requirements. Additional supervision requirements may be imposed at the discretion of the supervising speech-language pathologist.
(e) A supervising speech-language pathologist must be available to communicate with a speech-language pathology assistant at any time the assistant is in direct contact with a client.
(f) A supervising speech-language pathologist must document activities performed by the assistant that are directly supervised by the supervising speech-language pathologist. At a minimum, the documentation must include:
(1) information regarding the quality of the speech-language pathology assistant's performance of the delegated duties; and
(2) verification that any delegated clinical activity was limited to duties authorized to be performed by the speech-language pathology assistant under this section.
(g) A supervising speech-language pathologist must review and cosign all informal treatment notes signed or initialed by the speech-language pathology assistant.
(h) A full-time, speech-language pathologist may supervise no more than two full-time, speech-language pathology assistants or the equivalent of two full-time assistants.
(i) If the commissioner determines that a speech-language pathology assistant licensed under Minnesota Statutes, section 148.5181 violates any part of sections 148.511 to 148.5198 and is supervised by a speech-language pathologist licensed by the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB), the commissioner must immediately notify PELSB. Upon such notification, PELSB must initiate an investigation of the supervising speech-language pathologist. PELSB must share the result of the investigation with the commissioner.